Expansible receptacle



Dec. 15, 1964 K. E. WAGNER EXPANSIBLE RECEPTACLE 2 sheets-sheet 1 FiledMay 29, 1963 INVENTOR. KENNETH E.\/\/A@NER ATTORNEYS Dec. 15, 1964 K. E.WAGNER 3,161,288

EXPANSIBLE RECEPTACLE Filed May 29, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 2 /5 Z7 fe zo 4Z4. Z7 2/ /Z H515 6/0 fw. s. 56

I /EUy/ E 7E INVENTOR. KENNETH E. WAGNER AT TO RN EY.

United States Patent Oiice 3, l l ,283 Patented Dec. l5, 1964 3,161,233EXPANSELE REQEFACLE Kenneth Wagner, Williamsville, FLY., assigner toVictor Wagner le Son, inc., Brutale, NSY. Filed May 29, 1963, Ser. No.284,131 Z Claims. (Qi. 26d-45.31)

This invention relates to packaging devices and particularly topaperboard receptacles having transparent film portions for displayingthe packaged articles.

The receptacles or packaging devices of the present invention may beused in a wide variety of packaging applications as in stores wheremoderately small threedimensional objects or articles are kept oncounters for selt` service or on pegs extending from a wall or abracket. in some instances articles of this type are packaged by themanufacturer or wholesaler by placing the articles upon a paperboardbacker and stretching a piece of transparent plastic film over thearticle and bonding the iilm at its edges to the paperboard backer.

This type of package ordinarily requires special packaging equipment.The devices of the present invention may serve a similar purpose buthave the distinct advantage that it is merely necessary to insert anarticle in the receptacle whereby the packages may be employed byretailers or others without special packaging methods or any requirementfor special packaging equipment.

Furthermore, the packages of the present invention have expansibletransparent window portions whereby miscellaneous articles of varioussizes and shapes may be packaged in a receptacle of a given size. Thisversatility of the package is an important attribute attendant upon itsuse and the arrangement is such that the transparent film portion of thepackage expands automatically to the degree required to house aparticular article or articles. The operation and manner of use of thereceptacles of the present invention will be best understood rom aconsideration of the representative embodiments illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and described in the following detailedspecification.

It is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments thus disclosedherein are for the purpose or" illustrating the principles of thepresent invention and that the scope thereof is not limited to thesetypical embodiments nor otherwise than as deiined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view or a paperboard blank with a transparentlilm sheet adhered thereto in the process of fabricating one form of thepackage or receptacle of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the package or receptacle formed fromthe blank illustrated in FIG. 1;

FlG. 3 is a cross sectional View approximately on the line lll-Ill ofFIG. 2;

FG. 4 is a cross sectional view similar to FEG. 3 but showing thereceptacle in a condition of use; and

FiG. 5 is an elevational view of a paperboard blank with a transparentfilm sheet adhered thereto preparatory to fabricating a modiiid form thereceptacle or package of the present invention.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawings and, referring first to the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the numeral in FIG. 1 designatesgenerally a rectangular paperboard blank comprising a pair ofrectangular panel portions 11 and 12 joined by a score or fold line 13.A pair of tab portions 1S and 16 extend along the opposite edges ofpanel 11, being connected thereto by score lines designated 1'7 and 18,respectively. A similar pair of tab portions 2li and 21 extend along theopposite side edges of panel 12, likewise connected to the panel portionby score lines designated 2?. and 23.

ln the present embodiment each of the panel portions 11 and 12 has arectangular window opening formed therein as at 25' and 26,respectively. A single rectangular sheet of transparent plastic lmdesignated 27 is placed against and secured to the upper surface of theblank 1li as viewed in FIG. 1, this surface comprising the innersurfaces of the receptacle or package in its iinished state.

The areas or lines along which the plastic lrn 27 is adhered to thepaperboard blank is important in producing the novel package orreceptacle portion of the present invention. In FIG. l the elongatedstippled areas represent the glue lines which will now be dscribed. Asviewed in FIG. 1, Vertical glue lines 30 and 31 secure the opposite sideedges of the upper portion of film 27 to the tabs 1S and 16 of panel 11and glue lines 33 and 34 secure the opposite side edges of the lowerportion of film 2'7 to the tabs 20 and 21 of panel 12.

A horizontal glue line 35 secures the upper edge of iilm 27 to the upperportion of panel 11 and it will be noted that glue line 35 is the onlyadherence of film 2'7 to the upper panel 11 and the glue lines 3l) and31 on the tabs 15 and 1d are the only other lines of adherence of theupper portion of iilrn 27 to the paperboard blank. In addition to theforegoing, the lower portion of lm 27 is, in the present embodiment,adhered to panel 12. entirely around the window opening 2d by glue lines37, 33, 39 and 4i.

The manner in which the foregoing blank structure is folded and glued tocomplete the fabrication of a package or receptacle in accordance withone form of the present invention will now be described. First theseveral laterally disposed tabs 15, 16, 2li and 21 are all foldedinwardly on the score lines 17, 1S, 2.2 and 23 to overlie the uppermarginal portions of the panels 11. and 12. The iilm 27 also folds withthe paperboard blank 19 along the score lines 17, 18, 22 and 23.

At this time glue or other adhesive is applied to the then uppermostsurfaces of the tabs 15 and 16 or the tabs 2li and 21. Then the upperpanel 11, with its tabs 1S and 16 thus folded inwardly is folded overthe top of panel 12 on the score line 13 so that such tabs come intojuxtaposition with the tabs 2li and 21 and become adhesively attachedthereto. The respective relationship of the parts is then as clearlyillustrated in the transverse cross sectional View, FlG. 3, and in FIG.2.

it will be noted that the upper window part of ilm 227 as viewed in FIG.3 (the lower part in FGS. l and 2) is secured to panel 12 all around thewindow opening 26 so that it is relatively tautly secured across suchopening. However, the lower part of film 27 in FIG. 3 (the upper part inFGS. 1 and 2) is secured along its side edges only to the tabs 15 and 16along the glue lines 3l) and 31. Accordingly, when a three dimensionalobject such as is indicated diagrammatically in dot and dash lines at 42in FiG. 4 is inserted in the package or receptacle, the film 27 is freeto move outwardly through the window opening 25 as indicated at thelower side of FIG. 4.

in assuming this distended position the film 27 is withdrawn from itsposition in the deepest part of the space between panel 11 and tabs 15and 16 as clearly indicated, in FIG. 4. Such withdrawal will be greateror less in degree depending on the size of the object 42 but will in anyevent be limited to approximately the condition shown in FIG. 4 wherefurther withdrawal is limited by glue lines 3@ and 31.

A similar withdrawing movement may take place at the innermost ordeepest part of the receptacle, the lilm Z7 withdrawing from between thepanels lll and 12 adjacent to the score line 13 until such withdrawingmovement is Y limited by the glue line 37. However, at the side adjacentto the opening or mouth of the receptacle no such withdrawing movementtakes place since iilrn 27 is attached to panel'll directly adjacent towindow opening 25 along glue line 35.

Perforations 43 at the open end of the receptacle may be employed insuspending the same as by placing the perforations over a rod projectinghorizontally from `a wall, as in retail display and merchandisingoperations. The perforations 43 may also Ibe used to receive fastenersto close the open end of the package.

From the foregoing it will be noted that in the em'- bodiment justdescribed the expansiole `feature of the transparent film of the presentinvention is limited to the iilm associated with the window opening 25and that the iilm which extends across the window opening 26 isnon-functional in this regard. Certain plastic films which may beemployed in the present invention, for yinstance polyethylene orpolypropylene, have a considerable ability to stretch and therefore acertain amount of expansion in FIG. 4, as for instance by running thepackages throughk a heat tunnel, to cause the ilm to lie closely aboutor against the article or articles in the package.

The embodiment illustrated in blank form in FIG. 5 l

is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of FIGS. l through4, the principal difference being that only one window is employed, theone through which the plastic film is arranged to expand, and theopposed panels are joined along theirside edges rather than along theirend edges. In FlG. 5 a paperboard blank is designated generally by thenumeral 50 and includes panel portions 51 and 52' joinedalong a scoreline 53.

Panel 51 has a tab 55 extending along its side edge opposite to the sidewhere it joins with panel 52 andalso has a tab 56 along one end edgesuch end forming the bottom edge of the receptacle.

In FIG. 5 a sheet of transparent plastic film is designated 5S and isplaced over a window opening 59 in panel 51. In this embodiment theplastic til-m 58 is secured to the paperboard blank along a glue line 60which extends along tab 55, a glue line 61 on panel 52, a glue line 62extending along tab S6, yand a glue line 63 on panel S1 which isadjacent to the upper or open end of the iinished receptacle.

In fabricating the foregoing blank structure into a container the tabs55 and 56 are folded over the upper surface of panel 51 as viewed inFIG. 5, adhesive material is applied to the lthen uppermost surface oftabsSS and 56,

' and panel 52 is then folded over panel 51 to engage the adhesivesurface of tabs 55 and S6 to complete the receptacle.

It will be noted that here again the bottom and two side edges of theplastic film 58 may -be distended through the window opening 59 when athree-dimensional object is placed in the package due to the location ofthe glue lines 60, 6l and 62, the operation being identical with Vthatdescribed previously herein in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1through 4.

I claim:

1. A receptacle comprising a pair of juxtaposed generally rectangularpaperboard panels joined at three marginal edges and disjoined at thefourth edge to form an envelope, a window opening in one of said panels,a ilexible transparent lm adhesively secured to the interior of saidenvelope along lines disposed outwardly ofl said window opening, atleast one of said adhesive lines being between said film and the otherof said panels, said ilm extending outwardly from said last mentionedadhesive line Vtoward theouter edge of the envelope thence inwardlyacross said window opening to provide an unadhered return bent portionoutwardly of said last mentioned adhesive line whereby insertion of athree dimensional object in said envelopepresses outwardly against saidlm in the window area and withdraws said return bent portion to permitsaid film to be bulged outwardly through said window opening toaccommodate said article.

2. A receptacle comprising a pair of juxtaposed generally rectangularpaperboard panels joined at three marginal edges and disjoined at thefourth edge tol form an envelope, awindow opening in one of said panels,a flexible transparent film adhesively secured to the interior of saidenvelope along lines disposed at opposite sides of said window opening,said adhesive lines being between said iilm and the other of saidpanels,said film extending outwardly from saidV adhesive lines toward the outeredges of the envelope thence inwardly across said window opening toprovideunadhered return bent portions outwardly of said adhesive lineswhereby insertion of a three dimensional object in saidrenvelope pressesoutwardly against said film in the window area and withdraws said returnbent portions to permit said iilm to be bulged outwardly tilirough saidwindow opening to accommodate said artic e.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED VSTATES PATENTS 2,491,423 12/ 49Snydery 206-46 2,761,614 9/56 ZinserV 206-46 2,796,979 6/57 Buttery -e20G-45.31 2,971,641 2/61 Griem Q. 206-46 2,974,854 3/61 Moore VV206-4531 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

1. A RECEPTACLE COMPRISING A PAIR OF JUXTAPOSED GENERALLY RECTANGULARPAPERBOARD PANELS JOINED AT THREE MARGINAL EDGES AND DISJOINED AT THEFOURTH EDGE TO FORM AN ENVELOPE, A WINDOW OPENING IN ONE OF SAID PANELS,A FLEXIBLE TRANSPARENT FILM ADHESIVELY SECURED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAIDENVELOPE ALONG LINES DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF SAID WINDOW OPENING, AT LEASTONE OF SAID ADHESIVE LINES BEING BETWEEN SAID FILM AND THE OTHER OF SAIDPANELS, SAID FILM EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID LAST MENTIONED ADHESIVE